Should Dave Canales Be Blamed for Panthers' Defensive Disaster?
Should Dave Canales Be Blamed for Panthers' Defensive Disaster?
The Carolina Panthers had a chance to take control of the NFC South on Sunday. But instead, they were embarrassed at home.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers walked into Bank of America Stadium and left with a 43-13 win, running for 258 yards, scoring three touchdowns, and forcing four turnovers. It was the kind of performance that makes you question almost everything about a football team.
The easy thing is to point at defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero. And he deserves plenty of blame for his side of the ball.
But everything starts at the top, and that forces you to ask another question.
Should Dave Canales Be Blamed for the Panthers’ Defensive Disaster?
Tampa Bay Exposed Carolina’s Biggest Weakness
The answer is yes.
As the Head Coach, he approved the staff, scheme, and game plan during the week. Canales doesn’t deserve more blame than Evero for what happened on the field. Evero’s defense repeatedly failed to stop Tampa Bay’s running game. But Canales is the head coach. His Panthers looked unprepared on Offense and Defense.
The most embarrassing part of Sunday’s loss might have been how little Tampa Bay needed from Baker Mayfield. The Buccaneers quarterback completed just seven passes for 64 yards and a touchdown.
Yeah, that is right: just seven completions. And the Panthers still lost by 30. Tampa Bay didn’t need Mayfield to carry the offense because the running game completely took over. Bucky Irving rushed for 106 yards and two touchdowns, while Tampa Bay finished with 258 rushing yards on 49 attempts.
Should Dave Canales Be Blamed for the Panthers’ Defensive Disaster?
The Buccaneers made their intentions clear immediately. Tampa Bay opened the game by running the ball repeatedly. Irving gained 47 yards on the opening drive before the Bucs finished the possession with a touchdown.
That immediately puts the spotlight on Evero. Carolina entered the game already allowing 5.1 yards per carry, one of the worst marks in the NFL. Then Tampa Bay made it worse. Coming into the game, the Panthers were already down 2 starting corners, but they looked surprised by the Bucs’ lack of a passing attack. The Buccaneers didn’t need to because they stuck to the running game, and Carolina struggled to stop it.
As the game goes on, both Evero and Canales deserve their lumps for the loss.
When Does an Evero Problem Become a Canales Problem?
This is the question Panthers fans should be asking.
Ejiro Evero is the defensive coordinator. He is responsible for putting the defense in position to succeed, and there are plenty of reasons he is now in the hot seat. Under Evero, the Panthers have allowed 200 or more rushing yards 12 times. The defense ranked last in the NFL against the run in 2024 and improved to 20th in 2025, but the problems have returned in 2026.
For years, Evero has gotten some leeway because of the lack of talent on the Panthers’ defense. He had to mask weaknesses and make the most of what he had.
That excuse is becoming harder to make. The Panthers invested heavily in the defense this offseason, adding established talent to a front seven that was supposed to be a strength. You have to question whether Evero’s 3-4 scheme fits the personnel. Are they making enough adjustments during games?
Good coaches adjust their scheme to the players they have. They also adjust during games as new information becomes available.
Everyone knew Tampa Bay would lean on the running game. Baker Mayfield was playing with a dislocated thumb, and the Buccaneers had every reason to keep the ball out of his hands. It didn’t matter. They still ran for 258 yards. That is on Evero.
But at some point, an Evero problem becomes a Dave Canales problem. Canales is no longer calling the offense. That changes his role. He is becoming more of a CEO-style head coach, which means he has to oversee everything happening on the football team.
He no longer needs to call the defense, but he can’t leave it alone. If the scheme does not fit the personnel, that needs to be addressed. If adjustments are not being made, that needs to be addressed. If the same problems keep showing up, Canales has to step in and demand an explanation.
The Panthers allowed 291 rushing yards to Chicago in Week 1 and 258 against Tampa Bay. Carolina has also allowed 40 or more points twice in the first seven weeks.
At some point, Canales has to be held accountable.
Oct 25, 2026; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Kenny Pickett (12) runs against Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson (91) and linebacker Alex Anzalone (34) during the second half at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
The Panthers Looked Completely Unprepared
This is where Canales deserves even more criticism. The biggest issue on Sunday wasn’t simply that Tampa Bay ran the football. Carolina looked completely unprepared for what Tampa Bay wanted to do.
The Buccaneers opened the game with a 14-play touchdown drive and went back to the ground game. Carolina’s defense knew Tampa Bay wanted to run, but still struggled to stop it. Tampa Bay was telling Carolina exactly what it wanted to do. And Carolina could not stop it. That is a coaching problem. In the NFL, everyone is a professional. There are gaps between guys, but the margins are smaller in this league.
Canales said afterward that the performance was shocking. That reaction is understandable, but the Panthers cannot be shocked by their own performance.
They have to be prepared for it. In a division game where a win could have created separation in the standings.
Oct 25, 2026; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales reacts with quarterback Kenny Pickett (12) during the second half against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
The Turnovers Made Everything Worse
The NFL has more games lost than won. And the Panthers did everything they could to lose.
The Panthers turned the ball over four times while Tampa Bay committed none. Bryce Young threw two interceptions and lost a fumble, while David Moore also lost a fumble. Young was also sacked five times as the offensive line struggled to protect him.
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These mistakes cannot happen, and show the defense wasn’t the only one responsible for this loss. The Panthers did not lose this game simply because they turned the ball over. They lost because they were beaten in almost every phase of the game.
It includes the side of the ball that Canales is most responsible for.
The Last Word
If we’re assigning blame for Sunday’s disaster, Evero deserves the larger share.
The Panthers have had too many problems all year in stopping the run. Sunday wasn’t an isolated issue; it was a recurring problem the offense couldn’t overcome. Giving up 258 rushing yards at home is unacceptable, especially when Tampa Bay was not a threat to throw the football.
But Canales cannot hide behind his defensive coordinator. He is the head coach. His job is bigger than calling offensive plays. He is responsible for the team’s direction and for the preparation and performance of his coaching staff.
Right now, put roughly 60 percent of the blame on Evero and 40 percent on Canales.
But that balance can change quickly. Carolina is still 3-3 and still in the NFC South race. The season is not over. However, Thursday night against Green Bay suddenly carries much more weight.
The Panthers have to show that Sunday’s 43-13 loss was an outlier, not a sign of what this team really is.
Because after a performance like this, the question is no longer whether Carolina has problems.
It is whether this coaching staff can fix them.
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